LRDG: The Long Range Desert Group

The "LRDG-WW2" blog discusses the Long Range Desert Group, an elite unit of the British Army during WWII. I will also use the blog to announce updates to my LRDG website and any other LRDG website that wishes to announce such updates. The blog can also be used to announce information about former LRDG members, or any events or other current news concerning the LRDG (new books, re-enactments, models, etc.) In short, if it is LRDG related and you send it our way, we'll put it up on the blog

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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Issue 43 of Model Military International has articles related to the LRDG:

» Desert RaiderThe Editor again teams up with Chris Wauchop to convert Tamiya’s recently re-released LRDG Chevy into a gun truck, while Tobias Gibson presents a Think Tank reference piece on the Long Range Desert Group, their vehicles and camouflage.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

If you visited in the past and were unable to comment, my apologies. The ability to comment was set to registered users. It is now set to anyone including anonymous. All comments will be monitored, however.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

I've had the chance to read Steven Pressfield's latest effort, a fictional account of the LRDG. If you have an interest in the LRDG or the Desert War, you should give the book a look.

Here is my review. If you have thoughts, feel free to share them:

Killing Rommel is the latest effort from the noted historical fiction author, Steven Pressfield. This fast paced book is different than most of Pressfield’s titles which normally focus on ancient warfare. As the title suggests, this story is set during World War II. The story is treated as a first hand account of a British officer, Lt. Chapman, who is attached to the British Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) who along with the Special Air Service have been given a mission to assassinate Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

Upon first hearing about the book, two things concerned me. First was the mission, assassinating Rommel, second was Rose, Chapman’s wife.

I was aware, as are many people familiar with the desert war, that the British had indeed planned a mission to capture or kill Rommel but the mission came to naught. As the book was a work of fiction, I could accept that the LRDG would assist in such a mission.

When I first heard about this book I heard about Rose, Chapman’s wife.I was worried that somehow Pressfield was going to have this signal expert be part of the patrol. If this thought has crossed your mind, you can breathe easy. Rose is simply the wife of the protagonist and is stationed in Egypt. This actually happened with some regularity during World War II. While Rose, is central to the development of Chapman’s character she is not central to the mission.Her character is used to advance the story, principally through Chapman writing to and thinking about her.

The story itself is relayed to us through an unpublished memoir of a British officer (Chapman) who was attached ever so briefly to the LRDG in late 1942. If you are expecting a book similar to The Eagle as Landed, by Jack Higgins, you will be disappointed. Despite the title, the book‘s central focus is not the mission to kill Rommel. Chapman and his fictional T3 patrol do not spend days or even weeks planning a mission down to the last detail. You will also be disappointed if you are expecting a technical manual on the weapons and equipment used by the LRDG.

What will not disappoint are the actual story and the writing style of Pressfield. The story moves quickly and smoothly form one chapter to the next. The story begins with the Chapman as a young man, shortly before entering college. As war is declared, he enlists and is commissioned in a Royal Tank Regiment. He is soon shipped to North Africa, where his tank regiment is engaged in combat with the newly arriving Afrika Korps commanded by Field Marshall Rommel. Chapman is no different that a thousand other officers in a tank regiment. Circumstances lead to Chapman’s temporary assignment to the LRDG for the purpose of determining tank routes through uncharted deserts, an assignment not too uncommon for junior officers in the tank regiments.

Upon assignment, Chapman is introduced to many names familiar to people who are familiar with the LRDG. Pressfield uses this opportunity to introduce these same people to the reading audience, a common plot device that is often necessary to advance a story. Pressfield does this quite well and what could have been an annoyance to the already informed, flows smoothly.

As I mentioned before, Pressfield does not tire us with a mind numbing technical jargon about the LRDG equipment. This also keeps the story going. What we have in place of the jargon is what sounds like personal recollection of what patrols needed to do to keep the vehicles moving and keep weapons operational in the harsh Sahara. We get a feel for what it is like to drive up a sand dune. We understand the dread of German aircraft. We also get an understanding of ordinary soldiers who have taken on an extraordinary mission.

The book is not a history lesson. If you have a better than average knowledge of the LRDG, the story will not tell you anything new about their operations or equipment. If you have no knowledge of the LRDG, the book will give you a good understanding of the unit without overwhelming or boring you.

Why should you read this story? If for no other reason, any reader of World War II fiction should happily embrace this book because of the lack of good fiction about the desert war. While the desert war is well represented with memoirs, there is very little fiction set during this phase of the World War II, a phase which occupied a full half of the war for Britain. Most World War II fiction discusses North West Europe or the Russian Front and a smattering on the Italian front.

Furthermore there are few fictional accounts of actual commando type attacks. Most instead focus on the cloak and dagger type missions similar to Alistair MacLean’s Guns of Navarone or Where Eagles Dare. Pressfield has forgone these super-hero stories and the age old concept of Private Armies and engages us with a story of an actual special force unit, performing a typical, if improbable mission, during the desert war.

He has woven his fictional characters into a patch work of actual persons and created a desert war that captures the actual memoirs of those who had fought in the war. With the story, you get the feeling of the brave lads who rushed to volunteer for the war, the reality of tank battles in the desert where your armor is no match for the enemy, the quiet confidence and determination of the LRDG and the common comradery of soldiers and the guilt and anguish associated with surviving it all.

The book is highly recommended for the LRDG enthusiast and anyone who enjoys World War II fiction.

Friday, April 18, 2008

I realized the other day that I had failed to mention any information on binoculars. When you consider that the LRDG was involved in RECCE work, binoculars should be part of the page. This has been rectified.

Information on LRDG binoculars is now under Patrol Equipment. After all not every member would have a pair.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Got a question about the ILRS the other day. I'm not finding much on the unit but did scrape together a little info. I've added the info to Other Special/Elite Units.

I'm guessing some will ask why it is not under the LRDG site proper. Well you'll need to read the page to find out. The entry is only a two or three paragraphs. As I said I haven't found much - yet! As I find more, I'll add it.